Self-oiling wheel.



E. RAMSAY.

SELF OILING WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 1903.

no MODEL.

Fg. 4. 1 3 E 1) F 3,6 I

nfillmg E K B INVENTOR a I 74 By 7 v ij m WM PATENTED MAR. a, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERSKINE RAMSAY, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

SELF-OILING WHEEL.

SYECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,044, dated March 8,1903.

Application filed January 8, 1903.

To all whom it mcty concern.-

Beit kn own that I, ERSKINE RAMSAY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Birmingham, Jefierson county, State of Alabama, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Self-Oiling Wheels, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wheels, and especially to that type of wheelwhich runs loosely upon a fixed axle or shaft; and my object is toprovide a wheel of this character which shall be self-oiling and onemore particularly adapted for use as a mining-car wheel and in which themaximum strength, stability, and durability shall be attained.

With these objects in view my invention consists of the novelconstruction of Wheel and details thereof, as hereinafter described withreference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a central section of a wheel embodying myinvention along the line 1 1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionthereof on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line3 3, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a modification.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference characters relateto the same or corresponding parts in all the views, the letter Aindicates the round bearing portion of a car-axle A, preferably squarein crosssection and secured to the body of the car in any suitablemanner. The hub of the wheel I is formed with two webs O and D, spacedapart, so as to constitute an annular chamber between the two webs, theinner web C bearing and rotating upon the bearing portion A of the axleA, while spokes or follies extend from the outer periphery of the web Dand support the tread L of the wheel. The annular space or chamberbetween the two webs O and D of the hub is divided into a plurality ofoil-chambers F by longitudinal ribs B, which terminate in proximity toone extremity of the annular chamber, and extending from each side ofsaid ribs B are lateral ribs E, which serve, in conjunction with theribs B, as receptacles to retain the oil in each of said oil chambers orpockets as the wheel rotates and to direct said oil through holes 0,located, preferably, midway of the pocket or Serial No. 137,696- (Nomodel.)

receptacle and formed on each side of the ribs B, and onto the bearingA. An oil-supply hole closed by a suitable screw-plug G is located inthe web 0, through which oil is supplied to the chambers F by way of theannular space and the passages between the adjacent ends of the lateralribs E, whichafford communication between the several oil-chambers F andsaid space. V A linchpin H, which may be of an ordinary cotter type or around iron pin with flattened end, as shown, passes through the axle andholds the wheel in place, said linchpin being located in the free spaceat the outer ends of the oil-chambers, and it is preferably providedwith a hole It in its end for the reception of a hook to facilitate itsinsertion and removal through the oil-supply hole. The outer end of theinner web of the hub in the preferred form of Fig. 1 is extended beyondthe linchpin and has a closed end K integral with said web, againstwhich the end of the axle is adapted to abut, whereby greater strength,stability, and durability are imparted to the structure owing not onlyto the longer bearing-surface afiorded by such construction, but to thefact that end caps, collars, and the like and dust-guards are renderedunnecessary, thereby insuring longer life to the wheel. The inner end ofthe hub is preferably provided with a packing-ch'amher a, filled withfelt or other suitable material, which prevents the escape of oil in theonly possible direction along the axle and also Keeps out dirt, dust,and grit.

With the construction described the oil is supplied through the oil-holeto the several chambers F by way of the free annular space communicatingwith said chambers and the hole closed by the plug G. When the wheelrotates, the ribs B carry the oil up around the axle-bearing, and itautomatically feeds through the holes 0 to the bearing, such oilingaction occurring in the present instance three times for eachrevolutionof the wheel, or one time for each rib B, and as the oil isthus carried up and around the bearing portion of the axle it isprevented from flowing out from an ascending chamber down along thelinchpin-space into a lower chamber by its confinement in the receptacleor pocket formed by the lateral ribs E and the ribs 13.

The oil-chambers F may be extended the full length of the hub, as shownin Fig. 4, when it is desired to form a larger oil-chamber, where theannular space is extended the full length of the hub, and said space isdivided by two sets of ribs Bwith two sets of lateral ribs E, thusconstituting two sets of oil-chambers F on each side of the free spacebetween the lateral ribs, through which the oil is supplied to thechambers as before.

It will be observed that the free space in which the linchpin is locatedgives ample room for the rotation of the wheel without coming in the Wayof the linchpin and that when the wheel is revolving slowly the oil willbe automatically fed to the bearing the number of times during eachrevolution corresponding to the number of partitions or ribs B, thuseffectually maintaining a sufficient lubrication of the bearing, andalthough during rapid rotation of the wheel centrifugal force mayprevent the oil from feeding during the time such speed is maintained itwill not interfere with such efficient lubrication of the bearing as maybe needed.

I claim as my invention 1. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination witha fixed axle, of a wheel having a hub formed of inner and outer websproviding an annular space between them, a plurality of longitudinalribs terminating near one extremity of said space, lateral ribsextending from each side of said ribs, and forming with the longitudinalribs oil-receptacles communicating between adjacent ends of the lateralribs with said space, there being oil-holes in the inner web of the hubon each side of the longitudinal ribs for feeding oil to the axle, andan oil-supply communicating with the said space, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination with a fixed axle, of a wheelhaving a hub formed of inner and outer webs providing an annular spacebetween them, longitudinal ribs dividing said space into oil-chambersand terminating near one extremity of the said space, lateral ribsextending from each side of said ribs and constituting with saidlongitudinal ribs oil-receptacles communicating with the space betweenadjacent ends of the lateral ribs, a linchpin passing through the axlein said space for holding the wheel thereto, the inner web of the hubextending beyond the linchpin and having a closed end integral therewithagainst which the end of the axle is adapted to abut, there beingoilholes in the inner web adjacent to the longitudinal ribs for feedingoil to the axle, and an oil-supply communicating with thelinchpin-space, substantially as described.

3. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination with a fixed axle, of a wheelhaving a hub formed of inner and outer webs providing an annular spacebetween them, a plurality of longitudinal ribs terminating near oneextremity of said space, lateral ribs extending from each side of saidribs, and forming with the longitudinal ribs oil-receptaclescommunicating between adjacent ends of the lateral ribs with said space,there being oil-holes in the inner web of the hub on each side of thelongitudinal ribs midway of the oil-receptacles for feeding oil to theaxle, and an oilsupply communicating with the said space, substantiallyas described.

4. In a self-oiling wheel, the combination with a fixed axle, of a wheelhaving a hub formed of inner and outer webs providing an annular spacebetween them, longitudinal ribs dividing said space into oil-chambersand terminating near one extremity of the said space, lateral ribsextending from each side of said ribs and constituting with saidlongitudinal ribs oil-receptacles communicating with the space betweenadjacent ends of the lateral ribs, a linchpin passing through the axlein said space for holding the wheel thereto, the inner web of the hubextending beyond the linchpin and having a closed end integral therewithagainst which the end of the axle is adapted to abut, there beingoilholes in the inner web adjacent to the longitudinal ribs midway ofthe oil-receptacles for feeding oil to the axle, and an oil-supplycommunicating with the linchpin -space, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERSKINE RAMSAY.

Witnesses:

SUM'IER LEA, J r., J. C. SALTER.

